The present invention relates generally to optical systems, and more particularly to light field imaging systems or plenoptic imaging systems.
In prior light field gathering systems, or plenoptic imaging systems, a prime lens typically focuses light onto a lenslet array positioned close to the focal plane of the prime lens. The lenslet array includes a plurality of microlenses that each refracts light to thereby form a plurality of microlens images that are collected by a sensor located proximal the focal plane of the microlenses. Typically this distance to the sensor is on the order of a couple to a few millimeters (mm) from the lenslet array as determined by the aperture and f# of the microlenses. Hence, prior systems were constrained as they could not be used with cameras which typically require a minimum lens clearance of about 30 to 40 mm, which far exceeds the 3 or 4 mm clearance provided by the lenslet array. Further, adapting cameras to work with such a plenoptic imaging system can be a costly and onerous solution.
Therefore it is desirable to provide systems and lenses that overcome the above and other problems, including lens systems that mate with cameras.